Janeway Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 My children have no interest in returning to public school. But I have such fond memories of high school. Fact is though, high school seems much more like a game now than like something real. But I don't know, maybe the game is fun? Any good advice or encouragement anyone can give me? I am sort of on this line here, teetering. And the kids say, umm, mom, I want to continue to home school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 (edited) I do not understand what you mean by "seems like a game". I also do not see "highschool" as something radically different from 8th grade - they just can work at a higher level.. Keep educating your students, challenge them according to their level, while keeping an eye on the entrance requirements of the kinds of colleges they are aiming for. Work backwards from those requirements to pencil in a four year plan for the core subjects. Enjoy. Check out the pinned threads on top that contain a wealth of information and probably the answers to most of your questions. Edited January 19, 2016 by regentrude 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted January 19, 2016 Author Share Posted January 19, 2016 I do not understand what you mean by "seems like a game". I also do not see "highschool" as something radically different from 8th grade - they just can work at a higher level.. Keep educating your students, challenge them according to their level, while keeping an eye on the entrance requirements of the kinds of colleges they are aiming for. Work backwards from those requirements to pencil in a four year plan for the core subjects. Enjoy. Check out the pinned threads on top that contain a wealth of information and probably the answers to most of your questions. Here, they weight classes, the grades, according to types of the classes. There are end of course tests for each course it seems. If you fail, you do not graduate. A lot of stress and time is spent on those tests. Then, class ranking means so much. The local high school is quite competitive with kids falling all over themselves to be in the top 10%. But this means, they cannot take electives that will be figured in to their GPAs that do not carry an AP or preAP weighting. I listened to a neighbor whose child really wanted to take astronomy, but could not because it would drop his class ranking due to how it would be weighted. In the same conversation, it was mentioned that someone else's child wanted to take computer science and creative writing, but could not due to grade weighting. It would have dropped their class ranking. I would hate to have my child who is interested in art never take an interesting class he wanted to take, due to fear of losing points on his GPA over it and dropping in class ranking. Apparently, college admissions are based mostly just on class ranking, in this state anyway. There are students who could not get in to our flag ship state university who managed admission to place like John Hopkins and Vanderbilt. It seems as if even which classes they take, which teachers they get, it is all geared toward making sure it fits to make for a good class ranking. Then, add to that, all the time taken from the classes for the EOCs (end of course tests) and for those who are on the AP track, AP tests. But, the AP tests cannot substitute for the EOCs. When do they have time for learning or enjoying? And apparently, there is some formula related to how the EOCs are handled? I am not even getting that part. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Every single word you wrote is an endoresment for homeschooling high school :-) 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 (edited) If your kids want to homeschool high school, and you can, I would. You can simulate some of the fun stuff you remember from high school at home. A locker was really important to my dd. We bought one. Then we tricked it out big time. It's awesome. Yearbooks? We make one every year for our family through the Shutterfly website. Homecoming mums? Totally can do that at home. Pick your school colors. School mascot? Make one up. Ours is Cats (we have two). Go, Cats! School t-shirts and sweatshirts? We design ours on prepsportswear.com. Letter jacket? Design one and buy it. There are several sites for this. And just make sure to make plenty of opportunities to hang with friends. My homeschooling dd has tons more time than her schooled friends. Consequently, when they want to do something with a day or two notice, she is available. Movies this weekend? Sure! Sleepover? Sure. Hang out? Sure. Edited January 19, 2016 by perkybunch 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 My children have no interest in returning to public school. But I have such fond memories of high school. Fact is though, high school seems much more like a game now than like something real. But I don't know, maybe the game is fun? Any good advice or encouragement anyone can give me? I am sort of on this line here, teetering. And the kids say, umm, mom, I want to continue to home school. Girl! Why are we even having this discussion??!! Your children want to stay home!!! Why is that not enough for you??!! 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted January 19, 2016 Author Share Posted January 19, 2016 Girl! Why are we even having this discussion??!! Your children want to stay home!!! Why is that not enough for you??!! I love your picture, at the bottom..of the little one with the dog. So sweet!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaceful Isle Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 My high school years were awful. I guess every one is different. I would rather my kids go to BM school during elementary, and then homeschool the rest, if I were wanting them to have the school experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 Our kids will have fond memories of high school too. They may not be the *same* memories you have--but there's no reason for them not to be wonderful years that are filled with some great memories. I'm glad we homeschooled high school! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy the Valiant Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 I needed to read this today. Keep it coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abba12 Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 (edited) People think back to their childhoods and remember the fond memories. They then see something different and realize those kids wont have the same memories. So they see a hole, a gap, where that memory would have been if they'd had the same experiences. What they often forget to see is that those 'gaps' will be filled with different, fond memories. I was homeschooled through high school and I can assure you I have many wonderful, fond memories that never could have been created if I had been in a public school. I had opportunites I couldn't have had in a PS just like PS kids have opportunities I didn't. One is not better than the other for memories, they are just different. You know why people have fond memories of high school/college? It's not because of the highschool/college they attend, it's because those are deeply impressionable years where you have the freedom of an almost-adult with the responsibility of a child. Those are the years we discover ourselves and form an identity, become who we are today. Those years will hold vivid, special, meaningful memories for everyone, no matter what place they happen to be in at the time, because they are some of the most crucial, forming years of our lives and very precious to us. I don't remember a homecomming or school clubs, but I do remember my first part time job and the people there, and the big camping trips me and my homeschooled friends took each year, and late nights staying up with friends pretending to study. and the poetry competition I entered. I don't have a yearbook to show, but I do have a scrapbook I made in my free time, and handwritten letters from some very special people. I mightn't have silly memories like school lunch or that crazy math teacher, but I have silly memories like the ridiculous history book we tried to use that failed miserably, and the crazy moderator on a website for creative writing that I had multiple run-ins with. The gaps aren't left empty and meaningless, they're just filled with different, equally special, memories. Edited January 20, 2016 by abba12 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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